Vegetarian pan bagnat

Pan bagnat began as a French salade nicoise with croutons. For the benefit of farm workers and picnickers, the combination evolved into a transportable sandwich. Here I've traded the traditional tuna and anchovies for eggs and beans as protein. For individual sandwiches, use sturdy round country bread rolls. To multiply the recipe, arrange the ingredients in a horizontally sliced loaf of French bread, then cut diagonally to form single servings.

If you prefer, you can used bottled Italian dressing rather than making the vinaigrette from scratch.

To make the vinaigrette, whisk together all of the ingredients in a small bowl. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Remove (and discard) some of the soft bread from inside the roll. Brush the cut surfaces with the vinaigrette.

To make the filling, combine the beans, cucumber, bell pepper, olives, and pimentos in a medium bowl; toss with the remaining vinaigrette.

Spoon the bean mixture into the bottom bread shell. Top with the onion and egg slices; sprinkle with pepper. Add the tomato slices and basil leaves. Top with the other bread shell, press gently, and wrap it tightly with several layers of plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours.

If possible, allow the sandwich to stand at room temperature for half an hour before serving. Use a serrated knife to slice the roll in half to make 2 sandwiches.

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